In Stash we Bust

I can safely say...Yes! Lots of it for that matter!! This week has most definately been a productive one, especially where my stash is coming from because I had an organising week. I sorted it all out into its new homes (a laundry bin for the DK and a box covered in airplanes for the rest of it) and now I have a great list of all of it, weights and amounts. Fabulous.

Now what I am going to do with it? Well I was originally knitting a lot of baby bits and pieces, being inspired by my baby nephew (who is over the 8 pound mark now-yay) and our first cuddle two weeks ago. But this has been put on hold for stash busting, and later this week, shawl and veil knitting. 

I used this pattern yesterday to knit a hat for the Blattman, and he wore it all night so Im guessing he likes it. This is a ravelry pattern so you have to sign up to see it, and frankly you need to. If you are a knitter and not on ravelry, you have problems!! The picture below is from the pattern itself and not mine, mine is knit in Life Aran in Parchment.

Hats are great for stash busting, you can get one or two from a skein and normally three from 2 skeins and they are quick knits and you feel really productive which is always a winner.

This week for our Lent Prayer shawl KAL/CAL I am intending on knitting the half lace chapel veil in black for our trip to Rome hopefully this year, so I can cover in the presence of the Pope. Its going to be a nightmare I think but Im going full Lace, and hopefully the prayers in it won't just be for me to finish the row without a mistake!

Also on my mind this week... The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir and new Revlon Scented Nail Varnish in Watermelon Fizz

Love is like a dove..or a big fuzzy glove

Happy St Valentines Day all!! Hope we are feeling the love today, and if not, know that I love you followers dearly!!! Also 10 points for people who can tell me what tv shows I have quoted at some point in this post. So today is merely a post to share what my hubby bought me for Valentines Day- and this is not only a bragging post everyone, but also a bit of a review, and the item is under £6!! (in fact if you buy on Amazon its under £4) What more could you want on Valentines Day?

So here is the lovely book I got

I absolutely LOVE it, its just so cute. The patterns have been made famous by the Knit and Purl Greetings Cards and they are just the cutest things. Including Toad-ally in love with you, Hot Stuff chilli peppers and Ha-pea Valentines, they are such fun knits and would make great gifts for any love related event, or just to give someone a little love. There are also patterns for gingerbread bride and groom, swans, chicks, matches (that actually fit in a match box) and many more- 20 patterns in fact. Only one issue is that part of the Chilli Pattern is missing, and when I find a link to the change I will post it for those of you who own the book and need a hand.

I also got some bullets from the Somme from a friend of mine, and maps of the trenches, but  thats a whole other story.

Now you lot clear up whilst I go dismantle Love Land

Happy Birthday Dan!!

Today is my husband's Birthday, he has reached the grand old age of 26 (a whole 3 weeks before me, making him my sugar daddy!!) So today we went out for the day to celebrate. We normally go to a museum or attraction for our birthdays, but today was much more off the cuff because we didnt know if I had a day off until yesterday!! Today we went to Greenwich, and visited the observatory (you can thank Professor Brian Cox for that- and Dara O'Brein isnt getting off lightly either) and the National Maritime Museum

This is the Royal Observatory and the Meridian Line from the bottom of the hill

This is the view from the top of the hill, you can see Docklands from here, including Canary Wharf, and the Royal Navy College in the foreground. Bit of snow left but it actually wasnt that chilly.

The O2 from the top of the hill

So Happy Birthday to my Gorgeous Husband, and heres to many more!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year All!! Welcome back here in 2012. There are a few new things my lovely followers need to know, and the first is that we have gone all networky over the christmas break. We are now on Facebook and Twitter, and there will be new giveaways and more fun to be had on both social networking sites! So come join us, share your knits and enjoy the new things that are coming up

Ive also made a few resolutions this year, and I am absolutely adament to keep them. Most of them, unsurprisingly, are yarn and knitting related.

1. I am going to take pictures of all my knits, and I am going to record all my FOs.
This is pretty important to me because I take so much time knitting and giving these knits, it would be nice to have a record of that for me too! In fact, here are a few of the things Ive been up to in the week since New Years Day

 And these photos give rise to resolution

2. Give some knitting to charity
These knits above, as well as hopefully some others, are earmarked for charity. I really wanted to give something back, and these lovely baby items will no doubt make someone warm and snuggly

3.Use up my Aran stash
This is an ongoing resolution in general in my house, and this week I have managed to make 4 tea cosies using some of it. Pictures to follow for these I am pretty pleased, and these cosies are going to be part of the stock for resolution

4. Craft Shows and an Online Shop
I am hoping to start making a bit more of a living from what I love so we will see how this goes, follow the process along here and Ill share everything, even the bad stuff, so we can all learn a bit!

Thankyou for all your follows, comments and fun from 2011, and I hope 2012 can be brilliant for all of us!

Happy Christmas!!!

So this is Christmas!!!! Well its Christmas Eve anyway, and this post, as I am sure there are many others around the web, is to say thankyou to all my followers and my readers this season and a very Happy Christmas to you all!! Relax and enjoy, and keep those fingers crossed that they like all the things I have spent all year knitting!!

Happy Christmas from

Christmas Fairies

I have successfully finished my christmas list. They are all knitted, blocked, stuffed and sewn and ready to be shipped around the country at this very festive time. Father Christmas will be very happy with me, I met all my targets! Now comes that wonderful time of the year when there is 12 months till the big day and I have no list to hang over me needing to be knit.

I have spent lots of time this week browsing all those patterns trying to make me procrastinate. And happily knitting away and not worrying that it is 2 days to go, the mince pies need to be baked and I cant find the sellotape. This week I have found a wonderful website full of lovely patterns and I wanted to share it with you.

The Flutterby Patch is a wonderful Blog by a fellow Brit, with some amazing patterns both bought and free. This week I have knit the topsy turvey doll (which is so perfect for new knitters and works amazingly- I am so so pleased) which is two dolls in one, and if you have ever seen Jean Greenhowe's cinderella topsy turvey doll but dont want to do ALL that knitting, please knit this one, so so cute and perfect size.
I have also knit the snowman and a sheep this week too, but my favourite pattern so far has to be the Autumn Fairy, so much so that I started knitting these yesterday, and there are now four little ladies in my living room

So visit the Flutterby Patch, read the most wonderful stories, be inspired and knit away to your hearts content!!
Sleigh safe everyone- only three more sleeps!!

Mini Hot Water Bottle Pattern

These little Hot Water Bottle covers are brilliant for lots of different things. Firstly, they make a really fun little decoration alond with the mini mittens and sweaters of the season. Secondly, they fit those little mini hot water bottles that you can get that you click and heat your hands up. In my version, I made little mini rice bags that go inside. Basically, cut two small squares of fabric. Sew together on three sides, leaving one side open. Fill will dry uncooked rice. Sew up the fourth side. These can then be microwaved in 10 second bursts until snuggly and warm. Put inside the cosy and you are done!

They take small amounts of DK yarn, whatever you have left over, and I can knit one in less than 30 minutes.

 You will need:
Small amounts of DK yarn
3.75mm needles
Tapestry needle

Tension isn't important for this project.

Abbreviations
sts- Stitchs
K- Knit
P-Purl
K2tog- knit two stitches together
P2tog- Purl 2 stitches together
Kfb- knit into the front and the back of the stitch
Pfb- Purl into the front and the back of the stitch
St St- stocking stitch

Cast on 20 sts
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: K4, (kfb) twice, K8, (Kfb) twice, K4
Row 3: P5, (pfb) twice, P10, (pfb) twice, P5
Starting with a K row, st st  22 rows
Next Row: K5, (K2tog) twice, K10, (K2tog) twice, K5
Next Row: P4, (P2tog) twice, P8, (P2tog) twice, P4

Next Row: (K2,P2) to end
Repeat the last row 5 more times (6 rows of Rib in total)
Cast off in Rib.

Sew the side seam at the centre back, and sew the bottom up. The seam should be up the centre at the back of the work
Fill with stuffing, pot pourri, rice bag, mini hot water bottle, in fact anything you like. Ive knit quite a few of these now, in all sorts of colours, even a fair isle version. Let your imagination go wild and go for it